Bubble Wrap Printing (again)

I can't believe it has been over 2 months since my last post. I have so many projects to write about for the blog but, to be honest, running the studio has been keeping me from doing so.  We have been getting ready for summer at the Purple Twig, hiring new people, which I am very excited about, writing curriculum, answering a lot of emails about our programing and gathering materials as well as teaching our scheduled classes and workshops. 

That said, I really wanted to update my post on bubble-wrap printing. I first posted this project about 3 years ago. Since then we have used bubble wrap for many different projects and with many ages, from age 2- 9. We have added bubble wrap to collographs to make textural prints. We have printed bubble wrap on cardboard to add pattern to build sculptures. But we come back to this project again and again. 

This sensory project is one of my favorites. It's just so layered. If you have ever taken a class with me then you know there are a lot steps to our art making at the Purple Twig. Especially when we are working with ages 2-5. The kids consistently ponder the question  "What is the next material" When finished exploring the one they are working with.  This is a color exploring project that results in these gorgeous prints.

Materials

1. drawing Paper

2. tempera Paints- yellow, pink or red, and blue

3. small squeeze bottles ( I put the paint in the squeeze bottles or get the IKEA ones)

4. brayers ( if you don't have brayers then the hands do just fine)

5. bubble wrap both tiny and large ones

I tape down the different sizes of bubble wrap onto the table, covering the entire surface. Just squeezing the paint onto the table covered with bubble wrap is a joy for the children. The texture of the bubble wrap alone is an enjoyable sensory experience, running their hands on it, popping the little bubbles.

First I give them red or pink tempera paint to roll around. We then make a print from the pink by laying a piece of paper gently onto the now pink bubble wrap. I then give them yellow paint to squeeze onto the pink to mix into orange. We then make a print on the same sheet of paper. We all then move over to a clean patch of big bubble wrap and I give them blue to squeeze onto the table. Make a print and then yellow again to make green. And then print again to make layered prints

Then hands get in there and all the colors start getting mixed together and we just keep taking prints from the colors the kids are mixing.